92 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



he instituted the Development Grant in 1909, he put afForestation 

 in the forefront of the objects which were to be assisted by that 

 grant. I should like to recall to you the words that he used 

 on that occasion, because they acquire fresh force to-day now 

 that he is in a better position than ever to have them carried 

 out. After pointing out that we were behind every other 

 civilized nation in the care that we took of our timber supplies, 

 he went on to point out what were the objects that the Develop- 

 ment Grant was intended to assist. ' The grant,' he said, ' will 

 be utilised in the promotion of schemes which have for their 

 purpose the development of the resources of the country, and 

 will include such objects as the institution of schools of forestry, 

 the purchase and preparation of land for afforestation, and the 

 setting up of a number of experimental forests on a large scale.' 

 Well, these words excited great hopes amongst all who were 

 interested in the subject of afforestation. Unfortunately, for 

 reasons which I will not enter into now, the result has been 

 somewhat disappointing ; but I think we may be sure of this, 

 that the statesman who did his best to inaugurate a policy of 

 afforestation eight years ago will not be less anxious to promote 

 that policy to-day, and that he will lend a sympathetic ear to 

 any practical proposals that may be laid before him. I believe 

 that such proposals are likely to be laid before him very soon. 



"I understand that the Committee to which Mr Galloway 

 has referred in his report, a committee of highly-qualified men 

 who were appointed last summer to consider the whole subject, 

 have approached the conclusion of their labours, and will be 

 presenting their report very shortly. I have great hopes that, 

 as a result of that report, forestry will receive a great impetus, 

 and that it will at length obtain the recognition which is due 

 to it as a great national industry. If this should be so, there 

 ought to be no delay in starting the work of afforestation. 

 Trees will not grow in a day, and if this country is to be in 

 a better position with regard to timber at the next great 

 emergency than it was at the outbreak of the present war, 

 we must lay the foundation for it now. Some people, I 

 know, are sanguine enough to believe that this is going 

 to be the last war, that its experiences have been so 

 terrible and its sacrifices so immense that the world will not 

 endure a repetition of it. I am afraid that is too good to be 

 true. It is probably true that no one who is of mature age 



